Speaking to Digital Spy, Savage revealed that he did not expect to play Cory again in an official capacity.

He said: "I remember when we finished the original series, and I heard 'cut' on the last take of the last scene of the last episode, I was like, 'That's the end of my childhood, that's the end of the show, let's see what's next'. So I certainly didn't imagine that all this time later I'd be sitting here talking about it.

"Throughout the years there had been talks about bringing the cast back for a reunion or a movie of the week special or some sort of skit on a talk show or something like that, but I don't think any of us really wanted to do it because I think we really wanted to protect the legacy of the show, and keep the memory alive.

"Personally I was just very protective of the brand, and I didn't want to do anything that would hurt the original show, and I also wanted to make sure that if we were going to do the show that we'd do something that was new and different and told a different story, instead of retelling the same story. I think if we had done something like that, I think it would have been fun for about a night, and then people would have been like, 'OK...'"

Savage explained that the new series is aimed at both a new audience and fans of the original 1990s show.

"I think it does a pretty nice job of catering to both demographics," he suggested. "The show is very heavily focused on my daughter, it's Girl Meets World, and the struggles she's going through as a teenager meeting the world.

"But it also focuses on myself and my wife, Topanga, and the struggles that we're going through as parents, in order to be good parents, and to provide a good example for our children, and to be good role models.

"A lot of fans who grew up with Boy Meets World are now parents themselves, so I think they're gonna be able to identify with a lot of things that we discuss in the show, and they'll pick up on a lot of things that I'm sure many of them are going through as well."

Rowan Blanchard was born over a year after Boy Meets World ended in 2000. Speaking about his co-star, Savage said: "She says she's seen every episode, but I'm a little sceptical about that. But I know she's seen a lot of the episodes, and she's a very accomplished actor in her own right.

"She's very smart, very talented, and she hit the ground running and she has a lot of people around her that are doing everything they can to let her know how the show is, and how Boy Meets World was, and she's done a great job."

When asked if it was strange to now be playing a teacher in the current series, he said: "It's definitely challenging, because when we first started this new series, I was kind of confused as to how I should be acting, how am I supposed to be as the teacher.

"Because obviously Mr Feeny, played by William Daniels, was the original teacher, and so he set the bar so high, so I don't think Cory's there, but it's certainly something he emulates and wants to try and be like."

Savage also pondered the idea of the show returning for a third spinoff in 20 years, saying: "Like the grandparents? Well, if anything it would probably be Rowan as the parent, so I'd probably maybe come in for the grandfather episode, but who knows? The best thing is to hop on the ride and see where it goes."

Girl Meets World - which was recently renewed for a second season - will premiere on the Disney Channel on Friday (August 29).